The way you've used photography here is absolutely stunning! I've dabbled in semi-pro photography, and some of the concepts and emotions you've introduced as a core part of who Colin is very accurate, as they're so similar to how I feel about photography.

The line "Everyone deserves a chance at preserving memories. Photographs are memory stamps, so who am I to decide who's worthy?" is just perfect.

I can't even describe how much I absolutely LOVE it, or even why for that matter. It's just so profound, and so true. I don't think I'll ever be able to forget that line.

And Dennis' characterization is so great! I love the beginning part, where he's halfway between a man and a boy...I think it's so true, for both Colin and Dennis, they were so young during the war, but were forced to grow up prematurely because of it. I can only imagine that with his brother's death, Dennis had to grow up even more, and you described that flawlessly.

I'm actually writing a story that's focused on the Creevey's, and I've got some new ideas now that are totally changing the way I've approached writing Dennis so far!

I don't know how you write such beautiful stories Adi, but I'm glad you do...even if it breaks my heart. :)
LL

How have I not read this before? I have no idea. Anyway I've read a few Dennis stories and I really like them. This one is awfully sad but I like that you put the focus on him. Romilda on the other hand I've never read about but it was a nice change.

Again I have to commend you for your beautiful descriptions, particularly surrounding the camera and the details of taking the photographs. It was all done wonderfully and you really brought it all back at the end.

I thought this was a lovely idea, despite the horrible background. Two lost souls drunk and meeting. I was really heartbroken when I read Dennis was going to jump. but I'm so happy he's found something that means he's changed his mind. It gives me hope for the two of them.

I'm here for the Gryffindor Capture The Flag Battle Double Round that never seems to end 6/7!

I thought this was a really lovely, but incredibly sad piece. I haven't read much with Dennis Creevey or Romilda Vane and certainly nothing where the two of them are sort of paired together, so this was really unique. I thought you did a great job of uniting them with their terrible experiences of the war. I can only imagine how heartbreaking it is for each of them.

The way you wrote Dennis really rang true or PTSD. You didn't specify any symptoms, but the drinking to blur the memories, the depression, all of that goes hand and hand with it. Since Dennis was so young when all of this happened, I can imagine that it really took a harder toll on him than some of the others. The way he remembers Colin is so heartbreaking. You can tell by the way you write it that they were incredibly close brothers. It kind of almost mirrors the way I see Fred and George.

Romilda has a really sad story too. How heartbreaking to find your mother dead. Unfortunately, these are the consequences of war. Generations of lost souls witnessing horrible things they never should've seen.

The idea that Dennis was going to kill himself is very sobering. I'm so glad that Romilda was there to save him, although no person can be the band-aid for wounds like that. You have to want to heal yourself or else nothing anyone else does will have a lasting impact.

I noticed one tiny typo, but it's nothing major. "Great Hall, ext to his brother that night"...you wrote ext instead of next.

So Random Writer I have a beef to pick with you. Have you been going through my computer? I cannot believe you did a story on Dennis. OMG, I wrote almost eight chapters of a murder mystery with Dennis in the starring role. It's not finished so I won't put it on here yet, but I've been working on it since 2012. And now here you come with a story about Dennis and what happens after the war. How could you do this to me ;-)

Ok, so aside from beating me to the punch let me say this was a really great story. My only complaint is - I didn't write it.

I truly felt everything Dennis was going through his pain, anxiety and sadness. if anything my only other complaint would be that the emotions were too real.

Again I must compliment you on your truly fantastic writing. 10/10 as always.

Yours

Gaius

Author's Response: Hello again Gaius! It's great to have you back :)

Hahaha :p What a funny coincidence! Don't be shy. Put your story up. I would love to give it a read :) There aren't too many Dennis stories, are there? Lets fix that!

I'm glad you liked it, and I'm touched that, that is your only complaint! I'm also pretty happy that you found this realistic. That's always a relief. Phew!

Thank you so much! To a writer, those are some encouraging words!

Thank you so much for paying my page another visit and leaving me another sweet review! :)

Ah, this was fantastic! You know how much I love minor characters and stories about them so the fact that you've chosen to write about Dennis Creevey and Romilda Vane here is just amazing. I love the choice of them for a story about overcoming adversity and I think setting it after the war just makes it a perfect idea!

I loved the way that you showed the utter despair that Dennis was feeling after the war and the death of his brother. Those short sections just gave us a snapshot of the way that he was feeling but there's definitely a loss of hope and happiness now that Colin's dead, and it's the same for Romilda who's lost her mother. Both of them are drinking to try and drown their sorrows but it doesn't help in the end.

I like the different memories that you showed of Dennis and Colin, too. They were so sad and upsetting to read because Dennis just misses him so much. But I love the way that you wrote Romilda and Dennis coming together so simply and in each other they find the silver lining - that hope was lovely to read about at the end!

Wait, wait, Adi, you WROTE A FIC ABOUT DENNIS CREEVEY!? My favouritest character to write about (and torture relentlessly)? So happy I could hug you and never let you go! :D ♥

And awww, SO MANY DENNIS feels with this one. From the opening section, the brief sentences, the memories and flashbacks of Colin, to his meeting of Romilda...I loved them all. And I love that you've chosen to include Romilda in this! I've only read one other post-Hogwarts fic on Romilda Vane, and I understand that she's not a very well-liked character both in canon and in fanfic, so it's beyond wonderful to see that you've taken her and written her so sympathetically.

I love how the two of them, lost aimless souls, get together in the end. The toasts, the drinking, how she offers to teach him photography...they'll get better, I know it. They'll seek solace in each other. YES DENNIS/ROMILDA I THINK I CAN SHIP THIS. (I pretty much ship Dennis with anyone. I'd even ship him with Umbridge. Well. That's kind of creepy, but oh well.)

You have very lovely poetic lines in this piece, Adi! I especially adore your opening lines so much:

A boy walks into a pub.
"Firewhiskey, neat with a twist."
A man walks out.

Gah, these are just too gorgeous!

Lovely writing, Adi! I really enjoyed reading your version of Dennis, and I think the world definitely needs more well-written angsty Dennis Creevey fic!

I loved the whole concept of taking two minor characters and shedding some light on them and the way they deal with their 'adversaries'. The emotions of both Dennis and Romilda were presented beautifully, and I could really feel for them.

My favourite bit of the story was the memory of Colin that Dennis had - the 'time machine' moment particularly. It was also nice that at the end that Dennis found his silver lining with Romilda. It made me smile.

The over all dialogue and narrative of the story was nicely done, and I loved reading this. Great work!

I really liked the structure of this and how it was rather blunt (in a good way mind) with its short sentences and bam bam bam feel about it as it connected to the idea of a camera which was a really good and cool link to Colin and it just made the emotion of the story so much rawer and more powerful and I really loved it.

Another thing I really liked was Dennis and Romildaís characterisation as they seem like two unlikely characters and I never would have pictured them together but they seemed to actually help one another through the grieving process which was definitely not what I expected. Another thing which was a nice surprise was how Romilda was actually likeable and almost funny too and I was drawn into her character and her tales and thatís a real skill as I usually I want to throw things at her or something along those lines.

Sigh. My heart is breaking over and over with all these fics I've been reading tonight.

Seriously though, this fic may have been sad, but it was definitely a good read. I find it so interesting (and of course, depressing) to read about everyone, but especially more minor characters such as the ones you highlighted in this story, grieving over lost friends and family. The emotions of the characters in the story felt raw and real, and I found it easy to connect to them.

I really loved Dennis and Romilda's relationship with each other more than I can say. Their dialogue was wonderful, and that scene at the end- well, I just loved how it gave a glimmer of hope.

Hi Adi! It's been too long since I visited your author page, I'm glad to be fixing that. I went for prompt 2 because 3 has a review and you said 1 needed editing :)

So all the way through reading this I was like 'THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY WHY ARE ADI AND DENNIS BREAKING MY HEART?!' but then you fixed it at the end and yet I still felt teary! The feels, Adi, the feels!

I'm a total sucker for post-Hogwarts stories that truthfully depict the grief and sorrow that those left behind would feel. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they considered suicide, or turned to alcohol. That's what I love so much about this story. Yes, Dennis begins his road to overcoming adversity in the end, but you write it truthully-it's not going to happen over night.

I also really love the snappy dialogue between Romilda and Dennis, it reflects not only the effects of the alcohol, but also that neither of them feel particularly conversational.

Basically, I just loved this :)

As you said in your AN there are a few editing and formatting things that I've no doubt you're aware of but if not the ones that jumped out at me:
When they're on the bridge you say Colin instead of Dennis.He remember her crying over her mother's sleeping body in the Great Hall, ext to his brother that night. should be remembers and next
The only other thing I would so is after the line beginning 'The photo was a promise...' I'd put a line break or something in just to seperate the memory from the present day in the pub.